Mariah Carey's 2025 VMAS Performance Has Everyone Wondering: Disaster Or Diva Move?
Mariah Carey made waves at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards as she walked away with not one but two trophies — her first-ever Moon Person for Best R&B with "Type Dangerous" and, finally, the prestigious Video Vanguard Award for her contributions and impact on popular culture. The legendary singer took the stage to accept the honor from Ariana Grande and treat her fans to a medley of her past and current hits, "Sugar Sweet," "We Belong Together," and "Obsessed," to name a few. It was certainly a big night for Carey, marking a major milestone in her storied, sometimes controversial music career, but for some, her performance felt a little flat despite the show's electric atmosphere.
"Mariah Carey. The Voice. The Look. The Glamour. The Style. She's a F**KING LEGEND," one fan wrote on X. Another gushed, "Mariah Carey serving all the hits in one medley at the #VMAs—absolute icon energy!" But others thought her stage presence was weak. "Mariah Carey has gotta [be] the most overrated boring artist of all time. Her performance on #vmas was SO bad," one observed. A fourth user agreed, "Yes, Mariah Carey, give us NOTHING!"
During her performance of "Fantasy (Bad Boy Remix)," Carey looked strangely stiff as she made her way across the stage in a golden one-piece romper and knee-high boots. She let her backup dancers do most of the choreography while she just stood and sang along to tracks throughout the performance. "Things that are so funny about Mariah Carey as the video vanguard: ... her clearly lip syncing with several slip-up moments. her just walking the stage while the dancers do all the work," one viewer observed. Another particularly scathing post read, "Oh we definitely got the Geriatric version of Mariah Carey tonight." Suddenly, it was like her 2016 New Year's Eve fiasco all over again.
Fans thought Carey's VMA recognition was long overdue
Regardless of whether viewers thought her performance was a disaster or a diva move on her part, many agreed that Mariah Carey's VMA recognition was a long time coming. "I was today years old when i found out mariah carey never won a vma award until today," one X user quipped following her big night at the VMAs on September 7. During her acceptance speech, Carey also shaded MTV for taking so long to give her the recognition. "I can't believe I'm getting my first VMA tonight. I just have one question: What in the Sam Hill were you waiting for?!" she jokingly said.
Carey, who now joins Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Pink among the icons honored with the Video Vanguard Award, went on to thank MTV and her loyal fans for supporting her music. "Music videos are my way of life, of bringing music to my own life — movies visualizing the sheer fantasy of it all," she expressed. "After all this time I've learned that music evolves, videos evolve, but the fun? That is eternal." She capped off her speech by promoting her upcoming studio album "Here For It All," which will drop on September 26 — her first since 2018's "Caution."
Ahead of the ceremony, the "Emotions" artist took to social media early on September 7 to express her gratitude and excitement. Along with a throwback clip of a younger Carey asking MTV for a Video Vanguard Award (or "a nomination at least!"), she exclaimed, "They swung it on home!! Thank you @mtv for honoring me with the Video Vanguard Award this year. See you all tonight!!" Yasss queen!